Confusing Love
by boothandbones4ever
Summary: Zack rethinks his actions and his friends/family. Will he tell them his secret? WARNING CONTAINS spoilers from PitH and tPPitPP. This is my first story so it's a little OOC for Zack. Normal font is thoughts, italics are actions. Edited as of Jan.31,2010
1. Chapter 1

Confusing Love

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.****  
****AN:** Normal font is thoughts, italics are actions. Spoilers for Pain in the Heart and The Perfect Pieces in the Purple Pond. **Again I don't own anything.****  
**

I'm sitting in the corner. Alone. It's not comfortable. I don't like it here. My thoughts drift back to my friends, No! They were my friends. They hate me now, because of what I did.

Dr. Brennan, my previous mentor, teacher, and friend. I always looked up to her hoping I'd become the next great forensic anthropologist. I hurt her. I could see the disappointment in her eyes when she and Agent Booth came to the hospital. I know she thinks it's her fault for what I did, how I turned out. I wanted to tell her how sorry I was, for her to know that it was not her fault for what happened to me. Dr. Brennan thinks I'm a killer.

Hodgins my "roommate" and best friend. I hurt him too. He understood me and enjoyed my company, while I enjoyed his. He looked out for me, sometimes. I miss his jokes the same ones I still don't understand. I miss hearing his crazy conspiracy theories while I tried to work. I miss it all, but most of all I miss our experiments. Hodgins my best friend thinks I'm a killer.

Angela, my friend, was like my big sister. She took care of me, gave me advice on females when Hodgins would laugh. She would always encourage me to work harder. Angela would congratulate me or tell me "Great work, Z-man." I miss that. I hurt Angela, and now she thinks I'm a killer.

Dr. Saroyan was my boss. I respected her, she became my friend quickly. I was happy around her she was like a second mother. I miss her names for me they made me feel special; I came to enjoy being called "Zackaroni." Like I know Dr. Brennan enjoys it when Agent Booth calls her "Bones". I miss her. I made Dr. Saroyan cry, and now she thinks I'm a killer.

Agent Booth was a co-worker, a man that I could look up to. He didn't talk to me much, but when he did he told me "Good work Zack". I liked Agent Booth he was not one of those people who thought he could tell us "squints" (as he would call us) what to do. He did at first but now he respects us like we do to him. He fights for justice and he's not perfect. Agent Booth is a smart man, I know that he might not always understand our "squint speak" but he's learned. He knows things that I don't we learn about the "outside world" from him. Agent Booth trusted me, and now he thinks I'm a killer.

Dr. Sweets I really don't understand, but I do trust him. That's why I told him I did not murder the botanist. He wanted to tell the others, but I asked him not to. Dr. Sweets is now holding my biggest secret.

_A guard comes in and brings me back to my room. I lie down on the bed and manage to pull the covers up to my neck with my wrapped and bandaged hands. I let my thoughts take over._

Dr. Brennan, Hodgins, Angela, Cam, Agent Booth, and even Dr. Sweets are a part of my family. But only one of them knows my secret. _An hour later I slowly begin to drift asleep._ My final thought that evening is do they still love me? Of course they do, they're My Family. _Slowly tears make their way down my face._I hope to tell them soon.

**AN:** Please R&R. This is my first story so even telling me it was horrible is OK. And it will make me happy that someone wrote back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**AN: **I know Eric's (Zack) birthday isn't until August but let's pretend it's earlier. I really don't like the way I ended this chapter.

**WARNING **This story contains spoilers from The Pain in the Heart and The Perfect Pieces in the Purple Pond.

Three weeks later at the lab. Booth came walking through the doors of the Jeffersonian.

He knew Bones would ask if they had a case, but once again he's empty handed. It seems that all murderers are on vacation. Not that he wanted someone to die, but he can't do anything until a body shows up, besides paperwork which he'd rather not do. Booth looks up to see the lab platform empty.

"Where is everyone?" He whispers, before he hears talking coming from the balcony, above the forensics platform.

Booth walks up the stairs. "Wow, I don't think I've ever seen you guys not working". He says with a grin.

"We don't have a case to work on and we're all tired of working in limbo." Cam replies.

"Wait, do you have a case for us? Even I'm desperate to see a terrible looking body." Angela says hopefully.

"Nope sorry Ange." Booth replies.

"Hey Booth, do you think Caroline could help us out with something?" Hodgins wondered.

"What do you need her help for?" Booth questioned.

"Zack's birthday's coming up and I think we all would like to see him, and maybe stay a little over visitors' hours." Hodgins says.

"That's actually a very good idea. Zack would be grateful for the comfort and happiness from his friends on an important day. Even after you know what…" Sweets trails off after the girls looked away, and he receives strong glares from Booth and Hodgins.

Booth looks around the room. Cam, Bones, and Angela had their heads slightly down and sad looks on their faces. Sweets was looking at Booth with an eager and expectant but slightly feared expression. He really is twelve.

Finally Booth spoke up "I'll see what I can do." With that Booth walked away. He might not like Zack's 'weirdness' but, he's still a part of the 'squint squad,' and he watches out for all of them.

The next morning, Cam is running around trying to keep Hodgins from blowing up the lab with his unnecessary experiments. Brennan meanwhile is at her computer, working on another chapter of her latest book. Angela's sitting on her office couch working on a sketch.

A small smile graces Angela's face, as she looks up to speak to her best friend.

"So… I've noticed you've been very tired and quiet lately even around our favorite G-man."

"Hmm…" Brennan replies completely focused on her writing.

"Well I have a theory." Angela says. Stopping but then continuing when Brennan decides to leave her eyes on her writing. "I think you and Booth finally did something about your UST."

"What's UST?" Brennan asks.

"It means unresolved sexual tension, sweetie, which you two have way too much of." Angela explains.

"Booth and I do not have sexual tension, Angela. You don't know what you're talking about." Brennan says.

"I so do know what I'm talking about." Angela says seriously. "You're bickering gets so bad sometimes, I honestly think about jumping off the roof." She says.

Just as Brennan opens her mouth, Cam is at the door out of breath.

"Have either of you seen Hodgins and Mr. Nigel-Murray?" She questions.

"No why?" Brennan asks.

"One of the security guards told me he saw them carrying a box with huge grins on their faces. Which I know will be-" She's interrupted when an explosion goes off on the other side of the lab. The women run out of Brennan's office to see whose hurt.

Brennan, Cam, and Angela arrive in time to see Hodgins and Mr. Nigel-Murray smiling and giving each other a high-five. They turned to see women glaring and shaking their heads at them.

"What did I tell you about unauthorized experiments in the lab?" Cam says.

"You two could have gotten yourselves killed." Angela followed.

"What type of explosives did you bring into the lab?" Brennan says, equally upset.

"I used ammonium perchlorate-."

Cam interrupts, "In normal words please."

"Ammonium perchlorate is a powerful oxidizing material that is fully stable in its pure form. It becomes explosive when it's mixed with very finely divided organic materials."

Hodgins was surprisingly thankful to see Booth walk up behind the girls.

"Whoa, I wish I would have been here to see this." Booth said grinning at the two men.

Sweets came out from behind Booths hulking frame and nodded beside him. In fear of the consequences Nigel-Murray started to talk, in the form of his unlimited knowledge of facts.

"Did you know that males are six times more likely to be struck by lightning than females?"

At Booth's slightly freaked out look. He said, "Also, did you know that women are 37% more likely to see a psychiatrist?"

A chuckle came from Hodgins and Booth couldn't help but grin. Angela glanced at Cam and Brennan. She let out a huff, rolled her eyes and followed them back to her office.

"Wait guys, I talked to Caroline she said she can give us a couple more hours with Zack tomorrow night." Booth said.

"Thanks man." Hodgins said. Booth nodded, and they all went their separate ways for the night.

**AN:** So I finally did the second chapter. I hope you like it.


	3. Chapter 3

Confusing Love Ch. 3

**Disclaimer:** Sorry, but Bones does not belong to me.  
**AN:** This is the last chapter. **WARNING** This story contains spoilers from The Pain in the Heart and The Perfect Pieces in the Purple Pond.

The night was coming to an end and I still hadn't told them. Would it be a good idea? Would I regret it?

Dr. Sweets approaches me. I've noticed the expression on his face before. He knows I'm thinking over something. I'm not sure how. I guess the most logical explanation is that he's reading my body language and facial expressions.

"Zack?" He says pulling me from my thoughts.

He already knows so maybe he can help. I ask him what to do. He answers me and then walks away. I don't like what he told me but his logic and reason was very persuasive.

So I look up and clear my throat, ready to tell my friends the truth.

Secrets are kept hidden. Secrets are things unexplained. Secrets are kept from others or sometimes shared with a few. But, secrets are not meant to be kept. Friends are favored companions. Friends are acquaintances. Friends are attached to each other by affection or esteem. Friends care about one another. Friends love each other.

Love, it's not meant to be rational or logical, you're supposed to feel it. If this is true then, I love my friends.

There. They know what I have not done, but have now caused.

Angela and Cam are crying, Hodgins is shocked, and his eyes wide open. Agent Booth looks hesitant, while Dr. Brennan has tears in her eyes.

I drop my head and stare at the floor.

I'm shocked when Hodgins and Dr. Brennan run up to me, followed by the others, and they pull me into a giant hug.

My friends are happy. Why? I lied to them I caused them pain.

But they forgave me. Forgiveness, they looked passed my mistakes. Why, because friends will always love you. Despite what can and will happen.

**AN:** So I finally finished. Hope you liked it.


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